Alternative Life
by Jayne Leigh
Summary: A series based on 'what if' Josh and Donna had got together during the first campaign. Please review! chapter 3
1. Chapter 1

**This is something I've been working on for a while. A big thank you to Meghan for all the help. Please review and let me know what you think!!!**

**Enjoy!!!**

**Alternative Life**

"Right, so obviously Margaret is going with Leo..." C.J started, reaching for another slice of pizza. "I want Carol."

"That's fine with me, I want Cathy." Sam added. "We're starting to work quite well together..."

"Plus he's scared what she'll do to him if she doesn't get a job." Josh quipped, taking a mouthful of his beer.

"Yes." Sam agreed, causing Josh, C.J and Leo to laugh lightly and Toby to roll his eyes.

Jed Bartlet had just won the election and in January he would become President of United States. Leo had appointed the senior staff and now they were trying to decide whom to hire as their assistants.

"Bonnie and Cathy worked well together." Toby stated. "So, I think they should continue to work together in Communications."

"Right, Margaret, Carol, Cathy and Bonnie have gone..." Josh leaned forward, taking the last slice of pizza. "Ginger can come work with me."

"What?" Toby looked up at him quickly. "Ginger's working in Communications."

"You already got Cathy and Bonnie working in Communications."

"You've got Donna!"

"No, I haven't."

"Donna's not going to be your assistant?" Sam frowned.

"No." He shook his head. "Who said, she was going to be?"

"Well, no one but she's been practically glued to your side since she turned up...we all just assumed that she would be," C.J claimed.

"I offered her the job but she didn't want it."

"And you're okay with that?" Sam asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because it's Donna."

"Yeah but I can't force her to take it."

"So, what is she going to do instead, then?"

He shrugged, focusing on the pizza and refusing to look at any of them. "She's going back to college."

"College?" C.J repeated.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" He asked, standing up and pretending to look for something.

"No big deal." Sam watched closely. "We're just saying..."

"Saying what?" He looked at him.

"Nothing just..." Sam started but stopped, glancing at the others again.

"You two became close," C.J stated.

"Yeah."

"Maybe closer then we know about?" She leaned forwards a little.

"Have we got any more beers?" He walked away from the group and over to the fridge.

"Josh!"

"What?"

"What's really going on?"

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Just...it's... it's complicated."

"But you and Donna?"

He looked at her but didn't say anything.

"I knew it!" She grinned widely and the turned to face Toby. "Didn't I tell you!"

"Can we get back to the meeting?" Toby rolled his eyes.

"Oh who cares? Bonnie and Cathy in Communications, Carol with me, Leo gets Margaret and Josh has Ginger...Meeting is done!" C.J listed and turned back to Josh. "When did it happen? What happened?"

"This isn't High School..." Toby started.

"They're our friends!" She insisted, cutting him off. "I'm just happy for them..."

"Okay, okay...It's late and I've had enough." Leo announced, standing up. "Everyone get out of here."

Toby and C.J left the office, arguing while Sam hung back to give Josh a silent pat on the back on his way out.

"Don't you have a home to go to?" Leo looked at his Deputy.

"No...Well, in Washington I do." Josh placed the beer he was holding down on the table.

"But you got a hotel room, right?" Leo questioned, dryly.

Josh smiled faintly. "I uh...I just wanted to talk to you."

"You don't have too...." Leo held up his hand.

"I do...You need to know...Nothing has happened." Josh stated but continued when Leo raised an eyebrow. "With Donna...Nothing has happened...yet."

"Yet?"

Josh sighed and walked back over to his seat. "Like I said, it's complicated."

"Okay, fine." Leo sat down opposite him. "I'm listening."

"She worked for the campaign, unpaid... I bought food for her, I paid for her to travel with us..."

"Yeah." Leo nodded.

"I was an idiot."

"Yeah." He agreed. "But did you do all of that to get her to sleep with you?"

"What?! No!" He exclaimed, defensively.

"Calm down...I know." Leo assured him. "But there are people that will ask and you need to be sure you are both up to those questions."

"I know."

"And are you?"

Josh leaned back against the chair, his head hitting the wall. "I don't know..."

Leo thought for a moment before speaking again. "If I told you, that if you wanted to be Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bartlet or have a relationship with Donna. What would you pick?"

Josh slowly lifted his head to look at him. "When my Dad died...I... it was hard, you know... I didn't know how to cope...He was my Dad... he wasn't meant to die...Donna was there for me... She held my hand... she let me cry... she let me shout... She was just there."

"I know." Leo said softly.

"That's when I realised that what I felt for her was more then a boss should or even more then a friend should." Josh claimed. "But we talked about it...We agreed that nothing could happen because neither of us want to harm the campaign."

"And now?"

"I offered her the job as my assistant… but she refused and we talked about it... There is no way we could be in a relationship if she took the job."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"She's given up a White House job for me...That's how much she cares about me and we haven't even been on one date." Josh pointed out. "I owe it to her, to give a White House job..."

"It's a bit different, Josh." Leo rolled his eyes.

"I owe it to myself too." He added. "I look at my parents...I want that... The relationships I've had before...None of them have been anything like what they have and I thought that's just what I wanted..."

"But?"

"But Donna started to steal my food then argue about it with me and when she thought I wasn't looking, she'd be smiling... She'd refuse to drive whenever we were travelling but would always criticise how I was driving." He listed, a small smile on his face. "When it had been exactly one month after my Dad had died...She came up with an excuse to get us out of going to the bar with everyone then she sat with me in silence."

"And that's what you want?" Leo questioned but he was pretty sure he knew the answer already.

"Yeah..." Josh nodded. "That's what I want...That and more...I want namesakes for my Granddad, Dad and sister...I want a big family again..."

"And you want a job in the White House?"

"That depends on what I'd have to give up."

"You don't have to give up anything." Leo rolled his eyes. "You think I'd ask you that? Hell, your Mother would hunt me down... with my own wife's help..."

Josh smiled. "Mom is pretty keen on Donna."

"Mothers always know, Josh." Leo informed him. "She probably knew you loved her before you did."

Josh stared at him. "Love?"

"Care about, then."

"Right..." Josh nodded, frowning a little causing Leo to laugh softly.

"Where's Donna now?"

"What?" Josh turned his attention back to Leo.

"Donna? Where is she?" He asked again. "Waiting for you?"

"No, she's gone back home for a few days." He replied.

Leo laughed again. "Is that why you've been so miserable all day?"

"I haven't been miserable!"

"Josh."

"Okay, maybe a little unhappy..."

"God and you haven't had your first date yet."

Josh ran a hand through his hair. "I know."

"You freaking out?"

"What do you think?" He asked. "I'm going to screw this up."

"Yeah probably." Leo got to his feet. "But she's understand and it'll be okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah and when she screws up, you'll understand."

"Yeah..."

"Get out of here...go to your room and call your girlfriend." Leo ordered. "Then get some sleep."

"Right..." Josh stood up. "But what about the Press."

"Who gives a damn what they say?" Leo replied. "We don't comment on the personal life of our staff.... get use to that statement, I've got a feeling in the next 4 years we'll be using it a lot."

Josh smiled. "I guess so."

"Oh, wait I meant to give you this." Leo searched through a box that was on the table and then handed Josh a package. "It's from Jenny."

Josh shook it. "What is it?"

"I dunno, food, I think." Leo shrugged and made his way to the door with Josh following. "Cookies and stuff."

"Cookies?"

"Apparently, you've lost weight."

Josh looked down at himself. "I have."

"Yeah and my wife thinks it's my fault."

"That I've lost weight?"

"Yes because I've been working you too hard."

"So, she made me some cookies and stuff?"

"She likes looking after you kids and Mallory is out of town for a few weeks on some teacher training course."

"Uh, Leo? I'm 35."

"Josh, she used to baby-sit you... She read you bedtime stories and she took you down the emergency room when you thought if you climbed the biggest tree you could find and flap your arms really fast, you'd fly." Leo continued to walk down the corridor. "You'll always be a kid to her."

"Okay, yeah I get your point but no one else has to know about that right?" Josh walked backwards in front of him so he could face him. "And in my defence Mal dared me too and promised to jump with me."

Leo gave him a look of disbelief. "She was 6 years old, Josh."

"And I was 7."

"One year older, one year smarter but you were the one that ended up with a broken arm."

"Hey, at least I got out of the tree." He shrugged. "How long did it take you to convince Mal to come down?"

"Go away already, would you." Leo scowled at him.

Josh grinned. "Okay."

"I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Get some sleep." Leo told him. "Oh and Josh?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm happy for you." He said softly. "For both you and Donna."

Josh smiled. "Thanks."

"Right, I'm out of here."

"Thank Jenny for this..." Josh yelled after him, waving the package around.

"Will do." He called back but didn't stop or turn around.

Josh watched him disappear before walking towards the elevator. He sighed and leaned back against the wall as he waited for it to reach his floor. He had got Leo permission and he was pretty sure that the President-Elect would be happy for them too. He just really hoped he wouldn't mess this up.

**TBC**

**Please review!!! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, guys. Here the next chapter. Sorry it****'s taken so long to update!!! Thanks for all the reviews! Please keep them coming and check out my new poll on my profile. Also, you can now bug me about updates on Twitters. **

**Enjoy!!!**

**Alternative Life**

Josh walked into his office and sat down. He sat there for a few seconds before dropping his head onto the desk. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been. He had been told to be careful about what he said but he had let Mary Marsh get to him.

He didn't move when he heard the door open and close quietly, knowing who it was even without looking up. He sighed, when he felt a hand run across his back softly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, slowing sitting up to look at his wife.

"I guessed you'd be here when you didn't come straight home after the show."

He sighed and ran a hand over his eyes. "I figured I should try and get some work done."

"It's late, no one else is here," she told him. "Come home, you won't be able to get anything done anyway."

He glanced at the folders on his desk before back at her. He smiled slightly, reached out and took the hand she held out to him.

Donna drove them home while Josh sat silently in the passenger seat, staring out the window. He was trying to work out a plan to fix the mess he caused but he couldn't come up with anything.

When they got home, Donna made chicken pasta salad which he ate without complaint. Then once she had finished cleaning up, she found him sat on the couch, staring ahead.

Josh turned to look at her when she sat down beside him and handed him a carton of ice cream and a spoon.

"Not that I don't appreciate all of this but don't you have a paper that you need to work on?" He asked, taking the lid of the carton.

"It's not due for another week," she shrugged, digging her own spoon into the ice cream. "It can wait."

"Donna…"

"I want to spend some time with my husband," she cut in before he could protest anymore. "I've got plenty of time to finish the paper, so don't worry."

He sighed and rested his head against the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "I screwed up."

"Yeah…"

"Leo's going to kill me."

"At least you were funny."

"I let her get to me," he replied. "I shouldn't have."

"Everything will turn out fine."

He turned his head to look at her. "I might be fired."

"He won't fire you."

"He might not have a choice."

"He can't!" She insisted. "You won him the election. You with Leo, C.J, Sam and Toby."

"It won't matter," he shook his head. "From a PR standpoint, the only choice he'll have is to get rid of me."

"You won him that election," she repeated. "That's all that should matter!"

He let out a sigh and placed the ice cream on the coffee table. He ran a hand over his face. "Yeah but that's not how it works."

She pulled his hands away from his face and lifted his chin so he was looking at her.

"He won't do it," she said quietly. "He'll understand what happened and everything will be okay."

He smiled and kissed her palm softly. "And if not, I can just stay at home with you."

"Oh, no I don't think so…"

"What?" He gave her a hurt look. "I thought you like spending time with me?"

"I do, it's just I have a routine…I go school, come home and do some chores, watch my programs, do my school work and then wait for you to come home."

"Well, you won't have to wait for me to come home if I'm here."

"You'll get in the way!"

"Get in the way?" He repeated, frowning.

"Distract me," she corrected.

"Donna…"

"Josh, you love your job," she cut in. "You'll go crazy being stuck at home all day and you'll drive me crazy too."

"Y'know, we've only been married three months…We're still meant to be in the honeymoon stage… We're not meant to be trying to avoid each other for at least another couple of years yet…"

"I don't know why we're even talking about this…He's not going to fire you!"

"Lets hope not, we can't have you being distracted and all," he replied sarcastically.

"I meant it in a nice way…" She rolled her eyes.

"Honey, calling your husband annoying is in no way nice."

"I didn't say you'd annoy me."

"Just distract you."

"Yes," she smiled and moved closer to him. "In a good way."

He raised an eyebrow, leaning over her and placing his left hand on the arm rest next to her and then put his right arm across the back of the couch.

"Really?" He placed small kisses on her cheek and across her jaw then down her neck. "And you don't think that'll be fun?"

"Oh, I think it'll be real fun." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her as she led back. "But very distracting."

He moved his lips to hers and ran a hand through her hair. Everything that had happened during the day, slipping away from his mind.

"Wait." He pulled away and looked down at her. "Are _you _distracting me?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you complaining?"

He shook his head, a small smile on his face. "No."

"Didn't think so," she replied before pulling him back.

_**XxXxX**_

A few hours later, his beeper woke him up. Josh groaned quietly and rolled towards the nightstand, flicking on the lamp and squinted at his beeper. He grabbed the phone and pressed a few buttons, rolling onto his back.

Donna mumbled something then turned over, throwing an arm across his torso and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, this is Josh Lyman. What's going on?" He spoke into the phone, his eyes closed and his arm pulling Donna a little closer to him. He sighed quietly. "Okay, I'll be right in."

He hung the phone back up and tried to move from underneath his wife without waking her.

"Josh?" She lifted her head sleepily.

"Shh, go back to sleep," he whispered, leaning down and kissing her forehead.

"What time is it?" She rubbed her eyes.

"It's still early but I've got to go in," he told her.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine." He pulled the comforter up around her, kissing her again, but this time on the lips. "Go back to sleep."

"'Kay," she mumbled. "Call me."

He watched her for a few seconds before remembering he had to get to work.

_**XxXxX**_

"So, I was getting questions from Billy Kenworthy last night," Sam said, announcing his presence, standing in the doorway to Josh's office.

Josh looked up at him. "About me?"

"Yeah." Sam walked fully into the office.

"Wanting to know if the President is going to fire me?"

"He won't…"

"Sam…"

"You were provoked and you messed up," Sam stated. "He'll understand that."

"Yeah," he sighed.

Sam looked at him for a few seconds. "Considering this all happened last night…you don't look too bad."

Josh shrugged slightly. "I have a wonderful wife who looks after me."

Sam let a small laugh and shook his head slightly.

"What?"

"Nothing, just thinking about when you came to see me at Gage Whitney."

"Yeah?" Josh said, slowly, unsure what Sam was talking about.

"Just… I was the one who was in engaged and you were the one who had barely been in a committed relationship before but you're the one that's married…"

"Hey, I've had…"

"It's good to see you happy, is all I'm saying…" Sam finished off before Josh could say any more.

Josh smiled slightly. "Thank."

"I mean, I never thought I'd see you _this _settled," Sam continued. "You'll be having kids next."

"Well, that's what grownups do," Josh mocked slightly.

"The fact that you didn't just freak out at the mention of kids is freaking me out," Sam stared at him for a moment.

"Sam, Donna and I are married. Didn't you think it was possible that one day we'd have a baby?"

"Seriously?" Sam smiled widely. "You? A Dad?"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence there, buddy," Josh rolled his eyes, looking back down at his desk and started to tidy it.

"No, no…you guys will be great parents," Sam claimed and then paused for a few seconds. "I get to be Godfather, right?"

Josh looked back at him. "Don't you have work to do or something?"

"Probably," he shrugged. "Actually, I came to see how it went with Mandy…"

"I thought you came to tell me Billy Kenworthy thinks I'm going to be fired…"

"Are you going to tell Donna?"

"That Billy thinks I'm going to get fire?" Josh questioned. "I don't think that news will shock her…"

"About you going to meet Mandy…"

Josh frowned a little. "Uh, I haven't really given it much thought…Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, you and Mandy had a thing during the campaign…"

"What? No, we didn't!"

"Sure you did…"

"Sam!"

"Josh, she tried it on with you so many times and you flirted right back, I just assumed…"

"Don't assume!" He exclaimed. "Nothing happened between Mandy and I…"

"Josh…"

"I barely knew her…"

"So? You don't need to know someone's life history to have a campaign fling…"

"Fling?!" Josh stood up and walked over to the door to close it. "We didn't have a campaign fling!"

"Okay, fine…" Sam replied. "But I don't see what the problem is…You and Donna didn't get together until _after_ the campaign."

"Only because we didn't want to hurt the campaign by being together," Josh replied. "You think I'd turn Donna down, and then get into bed with someone else from the campaign?"

"I guess…I just thought…" Sam shook his head. "Never mind, lets just forget it."

Josh sighed and ran his hands over his face. "I'm sorry, just with everything else that is happening, I really don't need a rumour going around about me and another woman."

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Nothing happened, Sam…I never wanted anything to happen…I never even thought it about," Josh claimed, trying to make sure he's friend knew one hundred percent. "All I ever thought about was Donna."

Sam smiled slightly. "Yeah, okay I get it."

"Good."

"Oh, hey. Guess who I met with today."

"Who?"

"Leo's daughter, she came in with her fourth grade class…" He replied. "I thought she was one of the kids."

Josh stared at Sam for a few seconds. "Mal's a teacher."

"Yeah, I figured that bit out."

Josh burst out laughing.

"Nice," Sam glared at him.

"I'm sorry but…God, you didn't tell her that, did you?"

"Uh, well asking her to point out the Chief of Staff's daughter so I could make a good impression kind of gave me away…" Sam replied which made Josh laugh harder.

"First his wife and now his daughter?" Josh laughed. "You're really on a roll, buddy."

Sam sighed and ran a hand over his face. "You have no idea."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door and Toby opened it without waiting for an answer.

"Lets go." He looked at Josh.

"What's happening?" Sam questioned as Josh put his suit jacket on.

"Coffee with Al Caldwell, Mary Marsh and John Van Dyke…" Josh replied.

"Oh, well have fun with that."

Josh sighed and followed Toby out. "Yeah, thanks."

_**XxXxX**_

Josh quietly let himself into the apartment, smiling when he heard music playing and followed it to the kitchen. He stood in the doorway for a second, watching as Donna danced slightly while she was chopping up an onion.

He slowly walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, causing her to jump.

"Josh!" She exclaimed. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry," he mumbled, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"You're home early," she commented, leaning back against him.

"I am."

"That's not because the President…"

"He told me not to do it again and then to get back to work…"

She smiled. "I told you everything was going to be okay."

"You did and you were right," he turned her around so she was facing him. "Sam and I were talking…"

"Well, that's never a good thing…" She teased.

"I had to meet with Mandy Hampton today and Sam seemed to think that we had a 'thing' during the campaign…"

"You mean when she hit on you at every chance she got and when you flirted right back?"

"What? No, nothing happened!" He exclaimed.

"Relax, I know nothing happened…" She assured him. "But honey, if I worried about every woman you flirted with, well, lets just say I'd never get any sleep."

He frowned at her. "I don't flirt."

"Of course you do…You even flirted with Mrs Bartlet…"

"Donna!" He exclaimed. "No, I never…that's …she's the President's wife…That would be just… wrong."

She laughed slightly. "Josh, there's a different kinds of flirting and whenever you're around women, you like to bring the charm."

"Huh."

"But I know you'd never go any further."

"No, I wouldn't."

"And I know that nothing happened between you and Mandy during the campaign," she told him. "Plus it's kind of sexy that she wanted you but I got you."

He grinned, pulling her a little closer. "Really?"

"Yeah," she reached up and kissed him quickly. "Now, let me get back to dinner."

"Want some help?"

"Sure," she smiled across at him and handed him a potato peeler.

"So, how was your day?" He asked after a few seconds of them silently working side by side.

"Good, I got back from school, did some cleaning then watched some T.V…"

"All without distraction?" He questioned, smirking slightly.

"Shut up." She threw some onion at him.

"Hey!"

She poked her tongue at him.

"Yeah, that's mature."

"Whatever," she replied. "Anything else interesting happen today?"

"Other then me being able to keep my job?"

"Yeah, other then that," she replied.

She loved hearing stories about Josh's day. Even though she still saw a lot of the staff, she missed working with them.

"Sam had to give a tour to Leo's daughter's class," he answered. "And thought that Mal was a fourth grader."

"He didn't know she was a teacher?" Donna looked over at him.

"Nope."

"They've never met?" She asked in surprise because Josh and Mallory went back a long way and were quite close friends. She had been at their wedding and Donna had met her a few times since.

"I guess not," Josh shrugged. "Oh and I freaked him out by talking about having kids."

"Well, I can see why having a miniature you would freak people out," she replied.

"Right, that's it!" He put down the peeler and grabbed hold of her.

"Josh!" She screamed as he tickled her. "Josh! Stop it!"

"Say you're sorry…"

"I'm sorry!" She laughed. "Sorry."

"Good." He placed a small kiss on her lips before going back to peeling the potatoes.

"So, kid huh?" She watched him.

"Yeah, I think we'd be pretty good at it."

She smiled. "Yeah, me too."

**TBC**

**Please review and let me know what you think!!! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, here's the next chapter! I hope you like it! Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter to 'I'm Fine' up in the next couple of days. I'm just having a few problems with the last scene. So, here's this instead lol. Please review and let me know what you think!!! **

**Enjoy!!!**

**Alternative Life**

Josh opened the door to the dark apartment and closed it quietly. It was gone midnight and he knew that Donna would be asleep already. He slipped off his jacket, hanging it up before carefully making his way to the kitchen. He moved past the table, managing not to knock into any of the chairs and when he reached the counter, he found a note from Donna, saying she had saved him lasagna for dinner and it was in the refrigerator. Deciding it was too late for food; he grabbed a glass from one of the cabinets and poured himself some water. He quickly drank it down and then headed for the bedroom.

He pushed the door open slowly.

"Hey."

"Arg!" He jumped. "Donna!"

"What?" She questioned, from her position sat up in bed with her book open in front of her.

"You're meant to be asleep."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Sorry, Dad…didn't realize I had a bedtime."

"I meant, I thought you were sleeping already," he replied. "I was trying to be quiet so I wouldn't wake you."

"Well, you weren't doing a very good job…"

"Hey! I was quiet!" He insisted as he pulled off his tie and threw it on the chair in the corner of their room.

"You really weren't, but at least you didn't slam the front door this time," she replied, watching him getting undressed, his clothes ending up in a pile on the chair.

"I aim to please," he replied but then noticed she was staring at the chair. Rolling his eyes, he picked up pile and dumped them in the dirty clothes hamper.

She grinned at him as he climbed into bed. He leaned over and kissed her softly.

"Hey."

"Hey." Her smile widened, giving him another kiss before closing her book and placing it on the bedside table. Josh put his arm around her and pulled her back to his side.

"So, how come you're up so late?" He asked.

"I watched the Press conference," she replied laying her head on his shoulder. "The President did well."

"Yeah, he did," Josh, agreed, closing his eyes and sighing. "It was a good day."

"Yeah?" She glanced up at him.

"Yeah," he opened his eyes again. "I interviewed this kid today for Personal Aide to the President."

"Was he any good?"

He smiled. "He was perfect for the job once I managed to convince him that it was a better job than being a bike messenger."

"What?"

"He applied for another job but was recommended to me," he explained. "I just…There's something about this kid."

"Did he get the job?"

"Yeah, he helped figure out where the President had left his glasses," he told her. "Then a little later, the President talked to him…I think he likes him."

"That's good."

"Hmm," he mumbled, enjoying a few seconds of silently holding her.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Donna broke the silence. "We were told today, that in a few weeks, someone from the White House will be coming to do a lecture about what it's like working for the President."

Josh wasn't really paying much attention and was almost asleep. "Really? Who is it?"

"The Deputy Chief of Staff."

"Hmm, that sounds…" He started but then realized what she said and sat up to look down at her. "Wait a minute…That's me."

"Yes, it is…You didn't know?"

"No."

"Well, if you insist on pissing Ginger off, then she's going to keep arranging these things and telling you at the last minute so that you have no time to prepare."

Josh thought about it for a minute before shrugging and lying back down. "Ah, it'll be okay…I'll just wing it anyway."

"Wing it?"

"Yeah…" He replied, closing his eyes.

"Joshua Lyman, you will not!" This time it was Donna who sat up and slapped his chest.

"Hey!" He moved away from her. "What was that for?!"

"You will not wing it!" She told him. "I have friends that will be going! You can't embarrass me!"

"Who said anything about embarrassing you?"

"You did when you said you were going to wing it."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Okay, fine. If I promise to plan something, can we go to sleep?"

"You'll get Sam to help you?"

"I don't need Sam…" He started but saw the glare he was getting. "Fine, I'll get Sam to help me."

"Right, good." She smiled and lay back down, placing her head on his shoulder.

_**XxXxX**_

Donna pulled out her ringing cell phone as she walked towards her car and smiled when she saw Josh's name flashing on the caller ID.

"Hey."

"Hey, how'd you're exam go?" He asked.

"It went okay, I guess," she replied, stopping once she reached the car and leaned back against it. Josh had spent the whole weekend helping her study.

"Well, that's good then."

"Yeah," She frowned a little, he didn't sound very happy. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just… y'know it's Leo's big block of cheese day so it's a little weird around here today," Josh sighed.

"It's just a little bit of fun," she told him. "Why don't you try and enjoy it."

"I'll give it a go," he said sarcastically. "Oh, I almost forgot, Zoey's in town and the President is cooking chili."

"Wait? The President himself?"

"Apparently," he sighed again. "Anyway, our presence has been requested in the residents…You didn't have anything planned, did you?"

"Nothing that's more important than the President's chili night."

"Okay, that's good then," he replied. "I'll see you later."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Honestly, I'm fine," he tried to assure her. "It's just been one of those days."

"Okay, well I'll see you later, then." She decided to let it go. There were parts of Josh's job that he wasn't allowed to talk about.

"Donna?" She heard him call before he hung up.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

A smile spread across her face. It was the same smile she got whenever he said those words. "I love you, too."

"Okay, I really should go now," he said. "Bye."

"Bye."

_**XxXxX**_

"Ah, Donna…It's good to see you," Jed greeted as he walked towards her and Sam. "How's school going?"

She smiled. "It's going very well, Sir…Thanks for asking."

"Well, I like to take an interest in my staff's lives," he replied.

"Sir, you do remember that Donna's not part of the staff anymore?" Sam asked slowly.

Jed turned and stared at Sam for a few second. "I'm the President of the United States, Sam…I know nuclear codes, I know state secrets…You think I'd forget who does and doesn't work for me?"

"Um, I uh…it's just that you said," Sam stumbled a little, while Donna tried to keep a straight face.

"She's married to my Deputy Chief of Staff… She's a big part of his life."

"Uh, well I just wanted to make sure you remembered…Sir."

"Like I'd forget, I spent hours trying to convince her to stay with us…I even offered her your job," he rolled his eyes as he looked around the room. "And where is that husband of yours anyway?"

"I'm not sure, Sir," Donna replied, letting out a small laugh at the look on Sam's face. "C.J's gone to look for him."

"You offered her my job?"

Jed patted his shoulder, gently. "Sam, if you're going to survive in politics, you really should toughen up."

"Toughen up?" Sam repeated, looking at Donna uncertainly before turning back to the President.

"Like the basketball game the other night, not that it was all down to you," Jed continued. "It's all about mastering the fundamentals, see? Got to keep your hands up, your feet moving on defence. Pass and get open or find the open man, and follow his shot on offence. See, I am a master of fundamentals, and that is why my team so thoroughly dominated your team."

"It probably didn't hurt so much to have a two time A.C.C. player of the week on your team," Sam answered.

"Don't listen to him, Donna," Jed said to her before walking away. "Leo, Kids don't understand the fundamentals."

Donna laughed and Sam shook his head as they watched the President leave Leo to go tease Mrs. Landingham.

"He's really is in one of those kind of moods tonight," Donna commented.

"It seems to be," Sam replied. "It's going to be an interesting night."

Before Donna could reply, she saw C.J enter the room. "Hey, I'll be right back; I'm going to see if C.J found Josh."

"Okay, I'm going to check with Cathy about...a thing."

"Hey, Donna," C.J smiled when she reached her.

"Hey, did you find Josh?"

"Yeah, he's on his way up," C.J replied and glanced around before pulling Donna into the corner of the room for a little privacy.

"C.J, is everything okay?" Donna asked, frowning a little.

"I can't really say much...I mean I don't think I'm even meant to know about this..."

"C.J?" Donna prompted when she started to ramble.

"Josh was given something today and it kind of shook him up a little," C.J told her. "I just wanted to let you know."

"But he's okay, right?" She asked in concern.

"Oh no, he's fine but I think he could do with a little TLC..."

"Okay, thanks for telling me, C.J," She smiled a little. "I'll take care of him."

"Good, now did you know that more people get killed getting their change out of a vending machine then by a wolf attack?"

Donna stared at C.J for a few seconds, surprised by the quick change of conversation. She then noticed Josh entering the room, but before she can excuse herself from C.J, he heads over to Leo and the President. "How do people die from getting change out of a vending machine?"

"I don't really know..." C.J replied after thinking about it. "But don't you think people should be warned about this?"

"About vending machines?"

"Four people were killed retrieving change from a vending machine last year..."

"Hey guys," Sam wondered over.

"Sam, do you think the President will be willing to do a speech about vending machine accidents that resulted in death?"

"The mood he's in tonight, nothing would surprise me."

"Really?"

"Why are you suddenly concerned about vending machines?"

"You really shouldn't have asked that," Donna sighed, watching as Josh continued to talk to Leo and the President. She frowned when she saw him give something to Leo.

"Everyone is so concerned about wolf attacks, but not a single person has died from an attack, yet there were four people that were killed by using a vending machine."

"That's fascinating," Sam replied. "We should take this to the President, right now."

"You really think so?"

"No."

"Uh, excuse me! Thank you. Uh, friends, please..." The President called out, getting everyone's attention. "Well, chilli's ready and I hope you all enjoy it. In fact, since I told you, you would enjoy it, I'm reasonably certain that you will."

Donna managed to catch Josh's eye while gentle laughter filled the room. Her eyes, silently asking him if he was okay and luckily he understood, nodding his head a little and have her a small smile.

"You know, of course, the first lady's in Pakistan..." The President said as he started to walk around the room. "I'm not entirely sure why, but I have learned it's a pretty good idea not to ask my wife too many questions as it seldom leads to anything but further confusion. I miss her very much, but I'm delighted our beautiful daughter, Zoey is here. You know, she's starting Georgetown in the spring."

Everyone clapped and cheered a little and the President had to raise his voice to be heard.

"This, prior to medical school and a life of celibacy."

Everyone laughed louder and Josh called out 'Yeah right' causing Donna to roll her eyes but she couldn't stop from smiling.

It's an incredible adventure you're starting on, sweetheart. An amazing four years full of people and experiences you haven't yet dreamed of." He told her softly as he put his arm around her. "And if you will allow me just one minute of business, please. I hope that by the time we're done with our four years here, we'll have seen to it that every young person who chooses can go to college and beyond, regardless of their economic status."

"I understand that today was another one of Leo's 'big block of cheese' days!" The President continued as he walked back over to where he started from. "You all start out so cynical, but it never fails. By the end of the day, there's always one or two converts, right? And today was no exception. C.J. Cregg is gonna be up all night writing a position paper for the interior department on the necessity of wildlife protection. C.J., I don't mind the cost of this wolves-only highway. It's the segregation. The ACLU is going file a petition on behalf of some reindeer and then we're all screwed."

There was more laughter then the President turned his attention to Sam.

"Sam Seaborn had a guy who spotted a UFO today, am I right? Sam laughed him out of his office, but you've been thinking about it ever since. But you can rest assured, Sam. It was not a spaceship from another planet, just another time. A long since abandoned Soviet satellite, one of its booster rockets didn't fire and it couldn't escape the earth's orbit--a sad reminder of a time when two powerful nations

challenged each other and then boldly raced into outer space." He paused for a few seconds, letting his words sink in. "What will be the next thing that challenges us, Toby?"

Toby didn't answer, knowing he didn't need to.

"That makes us work harder and go farther? You know, when smallpox was eradicated, it was considered the single greatest humanitarian achievement of this century. Surely,

We can do it again. As we did in the time when our eyes looked towards the heavens, and with outstretched fingers, we touched the face of God."

He raised his glass in the air. "Here's to absent friends and the ones that are here now."

Everyone follows in suit and 'cheers' rang out in the room.

"Right, now chilli time," The President announced and turned to give Zoey a knowing look. "Unless there was something you wanted to add, even though it does not need it?"

"No, I'm good." She replied and led everyone out of the room and towards the chilli.

"Hey," Donna walked over to Josh as everyone else left the room. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he smiled, linking his fingers through hers.

"Are you sure?" She questioned. "You looked a little tense while you were talking to Leo and The President earlier."

"I just...I needed to sort out some things...It's done now."

"Good." She looked down at their joined hands before back up at him. "I tried calling you earlier...You sounded a little down so I was going to take you out to lunch but Ginger didn't know where you'd gone."

He hesitated for a few seconds but then moved over to the couch, sitting her down and then sat in front of her on the coffee table.

"I went to see my psychiatrist...I was...um, I've been thinking about my sister."

"Joanie?"

"Yeah, I couldn't get Ava Maria out of my head and well, Joanie used to play it all the time," he explained. "So, I thought it might be a good idea to go and talk to him."

"Did it help?"

"No, not really," he sighed, running a hand over his face. "But it's sorted now."

"What is?"

"I can't really...It doesn't matter," he shook his head a little and brought their hands up to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand. "I've figured it out."

She watched him and was a little concerned about his behaviour, but then he did seem a bit happier then when she had spoken to him earlier.

"You do know that if something happened that I'd be here with you, right?" He broke her train of thoughts.

"Josh has something..." She started to ask but he shook his head.

"No, nothing has happened but if it did...I would be here with you." He told her again. "I wouldn't leave you."

"I know you wouldn't."

"Good," he replied and pulled her to her feet. "Now come on, let's go get some chilli... I'm starving."

"So, did you have a good cheese day?" She asked teasingly as they walked hand in hand. "Did you get sucked into someone's story like C.J and Sam?"

Josh thought back to his meeting with the NSC. "Nah, it was nothing I was interested in."

**TBC**

**Please let me know what you think!!! **


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